PHP Obfuscation and Encryption

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I am preparing a backend (server-side) PHP product for marketing and need to encrypt my code so that it cannot be copied/stolen. Does anyone have experience with any of the current software packages available that provide PHP encryption and obfuscation?

My product will be downloadable by purchasers from a membership site with periodic downloadable updates. Keying for use only on a purchaser's specific website(s) would be desirable. At least one user-editable file must be accessible by the encrypted file structure but excluded from the encryption/obfuscation process itself.

I've done some research on my own but would like to know what experiences other Warrior members may have had with such products.

Thanks!

#programming #encryption #obfuscation #php
  • I have used NuSphere Nu-Coder in the past to encode PHP source. It protects your code and speeds up execution. The only problem is with encoded PHP files you need to install a tool on the server to decode them. Nu-Coder requires PhpExpress installed on the server.

    Its not a problem if you are hosting the files yourself but if you are going to distribute the code then you must give them instructions for installing the PhpExpress module on their server. This is not ideal, especially for shared hosting.
  • Why not just offer it as SaaS? Honestly if they want to decrypt it, they will.
    • [1] reply
    • jminkler,

      May indeed offer as SaaS in the future, but do not have the infrastructure to support that at the moment. You're right, someone will always be out there who will attempt to snatch and decrypt code (and will have the capability to do so), but making it discouraging for most and difficult for all definitely has its advantages.
      • [1] reply
  • Ive used ioncube before and like it. Most hosting companies seam to have the readers installed.

    You can encript everything or just a few files if you want to allow the main part of the code to be visible.

    with all the code encrypted it saves on support requests of the like "Ive only changed a few things, but now its not working, why?"

    Ioncube is a buy it once and use it as much as you like kind of software, or if you only have a few files and dont plan to encrypt much, then you can get it encrypted on a per file basis.

    -- edit --
    Looks like ioncube changed their pricing plan since last i visited their site. It used to be per file. seams like it now goes on lines of source code. Still. If its a small one time thing, you might be able to get away with the min $5 credit purchase.... http://www.ioncube.com/pricing.php
  • I have used Zend to encrypt source code in the past.
    And have also used the Free Obfuscator POBS
    POBS - PHP Obfuscator
    • [1] reply
    • +1 for IonCube

      I have used SourceGuardian and other solutions before, but the issue is that for propper encoders you need to have certain server modules running (Loaders)

      IonCube is by far the widest spread encoder and loaders are installed on most servers.

      If you don't need to encrypt code often, you can even go for the online variant of IonCube, which allows you to encrypt your code by uploading it to their server in the member area.
  • I have used POBS and find it great with a little tweaking and testing.
    It's free, fast and doesn't require serverside decryption at all.
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    PHP Obfuscation and Encryption

    I am preparing a backend (server-side) PHP product for marketing and need to encrypt my code so that it cannot be copied/stolen. Does anyone have experience with any of the current software packages available that provide PHP encryption and obfuscation? My product will be downloadable by purchasers from a membership site with periodic downloadable updates. Keying for use only on a purchaser's specific website(s) would be desirable. At least one user-editable file must be accessible by the encrypted file structure but excluded from the encryption/obfuscation process itself.